,i  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #gbid  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #g1 #bjbd,mr4
 ,neguse 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,maloy1 ,ms4  
,c>aveo1 & ,mr4 ,curtis7 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,agriculture  ,a ,,bill   
,to am5d ! ,agricultural ,cr$it ,act (  
#aigh to au?orize ! ,secret>y (         
,agriculture to c>ry out em]g5cy wat]%$ 
protection measures on ,national ,=e/   
,sy/em l&1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort 
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,wat]%$ 
,protection & ,=e/ ,recov]y ,act (      
#bjbd4  #b4 ,em]g5cy =e/ wat]%$ program 
7a7 ,fund+ & adm9i/ration ,section      
#djd7;b7 ( ! ,agricultural ,cr$it ,act (
 #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bbjd7;b77 is     
am5d$ by ins]t+ to c>ry out section #dja
 aft] = a fiscal ye>4  7b7 ,em]g5cy =e/ 
wat]%$ program ,title ,,iv ( !          
,agricultural ,cr$it ,act ( #aigh 7#af  
,u4,s4,c4 #bbja et seq47 is am5d$ by    
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  #djh4 ,em]g5cy 
=e/ wat]%$ program  7a7 ,def9itions ,9  

?is section3 7#a7 ,em]g5cy wat]%$       
protection measures ,! t]m em]g5cy      
wat]%$ protection measures means        
measures t-- 7,a7 are necess>y to       
address run(f ret>dation1 soil-erosion  
prev5tion1 & flood mitigation caus$ by a
 natural disa/] or any o!r natural      
occurr5ce t has caus$ a sudd5 impairm5t 
to natural res\rces on ,national ,=e/   
,sy/em l&1 & ! damage1 if n treat$-- 7i7
 w\ld significantly impair or endang] ! 
natural res\rces on ! ,national ,=e/    
,sy/em l&2 &  7ii7 w\ld pose an imm$iate
 risk to wat] res\rces or loss ( life or
 prop]ty d[n/ream ( ! ,national ,=e/    
,sy/em l&2 &  7,b7 w\ld ma9ta9 or re/ore
 =e/ heal? & =e/-relat$ res\rces on !   
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&4  7#b7 ,natural
 disa/] ,! t]m natural disa/] has !     
mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #djg7;a74    
7#c7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! 
,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,*ief ( ! ,=e/  
,s]vice4  7#d7 ,sponsor ,! t]m sponsor  
means-- 7,a7 a ,/ate or local gov]nm5t2 
7,b7 an ,indian ,tribe 7z def9$ 9       

section #d ( ! ,indian                  
,self-,det]m9ation & ,education         
,assi/ance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772 
&  7,c7 a wat] di/rict1 wat] cons]vation
 di/rict1 wat] utility1 or special      
di/rict4  7b7 ,au?orization ,!          
,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh a sponsor1 is     
au?oriz$ to und]take em]g5cy wat]%$     
protection measures on ,national ,=e/   
,sy/em l&4  7c7 ,agreem5ts2 paym5ts     
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y may ent] into
 an agreem5t ) a sponsor & make paym5ts 
to ! sponsor1 on reque/ ( ! sponsor1 to 
c>ry out em]g5cy wat]%$ protection      
measures4  7#b7 ,requirem5ts  7,a7      
,project timel9es  7i7 ,9 g5]al ,foll[+ 
a natural disa/] or natural occurr5ce t 
necessitates ! c>ry+ out ( em]g5cy      
wat]%$ protection measures1 ! ,secret>y 
%all execute agreem5ts "u p>agraph 7#a7 
z exp$iti\sly z possible4  7ii7 ,timel9e
 ,a sponsor t has ent]$ into an agreem5t
 "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all complete all     
em]g5cy wat]%$ protection measures n    
lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! conclusion ( !  

applicable natural disa/] or natural    
occurr5ce1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 t  
necessitat$ ! c>ry+ out ( ^? measures4  
7iii7 ,cont9u$ monitor+ ,a sponsor t has
 ent]$ into an agreem5t "u p>agraph 7#a7
 may monitor1 ma9ta91 repair1 or replace
 em]g5cy wat]%$ protection measures = a 
p]iod ( n m ?an #c ye>s foll[+ !        
conclusion ( ! natural disa/] or natural
 occurr5ce1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 t 
necessitat$ ! c>ry+ out ( ^? measures :5
 failure to d s w\ld result 9           
unacceptable risk to ,national ,=e/     
,sy/em l& or d[n/ream wat] us]s4  7,b7  
,paym5ts ,! ,secret>y1 9 accordance ) an
 agreem5t ent]$ into "u p>agraph 7#a7-- 
7i7 may make p>tial paym5ts prior to    
completion ( ! applicable project2 &    
7ii7 %all make f9al paym5t = ! project n
 lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date on :i* ! 
project is complet$4  7d7 ,waiv$ mat*+  
requirem5ts ,! ,secret>y %all waive any 
mat*+ requirem5ts = paym5ts made "u     
subsection 7c77#a74  7e7 ,liability     
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a sponsor t c>ries out   

em]g5cy wat]%$ protection measures      
pursuant to an agreem5t "u subsection   
7c77#a7 %all n-- 7,a7 be requir$ to     
indemnify ! ,unit$ ,/ates = any         
liability result+ f c>ry+ out em]g5cy   
wat]%$ protection measures pursuant to t
 agreem5t2 or  7,b7 except z provid$ 9  
p>agraph 7#b71 be liable = injury1 loss1
 or damage result+ f c>ry+ out em]g5cy  
wat]%$ protection measures pursuant to t
 agreem5t4  7#b7 ,sav+s provision ,no?+ 
9 ?is subsection precludes liability =  
damages or co/s relat+ to ! c>ry+ out ( 
em]g5cy wat]%$ protection measures by a 
sponsor pursuant to an agreem5t ent]$   
into "u subsection 7c77#a7 if ! sponsor 
act$ ) willful or wanton neglig5ce or   
reckless conduct 9 c>ry+ out ^?         
measures4  7f7 ,assumption ( risk ,a    
sponsor t c>ries out em]g5cy wat]%$     
protection measures prior to ent]+ into 
an agreem5t "u subsection 7c77#a7 %all  
assume ! risk ( incurr+ any co/ or      
liability result+ f c>ry+ out ^?        
measures4  7g7 ,coord9ation ,! ,*ief ( !

 ,natural ,res\rces ,cons]vation ,s]vice
 %all coord9ate on ! use ( funds        
di/ribut$ "u ?is section & section #djc4
  7h7 ,,nepa compliance ,em]g5cy wat]%$ 
protection measures c>ri$ out pursuant  
to ?is section %all be deem$ em]g5cy    
response actions = purposes ( section   
#bbj4d7;b77#a7 ( title #cf1 ,code (     
,f$]al ,regulations 7or a successor     
regulation74  4